Reinforced aerodynamic skirt

Abstract

A resilient strut assembly adapted to secure an aerodynamic skirt panel to a trailer is presented, the aerodynamic skirt structure being adapted to be substantially longitudinally mounted to the trailer, the resilient strut assembly being adapted to sustain an elastic deformation when a load is applied to the resilient strut assembly when the skirt panel moves away from the configuration and to self-recover its original position when the load is removed without the deformation extending over a limit deformation. The resilient structure comprises a first resilient strut and a complementary strut limiting flexion of the skirt panel.

1 . A strut assembly adapted to mount a skirt panel to a vehicle having a floor and a longitudinal center plane, the strut assembly comprising:
 a first resilient strut adapted to be mounted to the floor, the first resilient strut comprising at least one mounting portion adapted for the skirt panel to be secured thereto, wherein the first resilient strut is adapted to allow the skirt panel to flex between a flexed position, when undergoing an external force, and to self-restore to a default original position when the external force is released; and   a complementary strut adapted to be coupled to at least two of a) the skirt panel, b) the first resilient strut, and c) the floor of the vehicle,   wherein the complementary strut is adapted, when the external force is exerted over the skirt panel towards the center plane, for at least one of:   i) providing resistance to the skirt panel; and   ii) limiting flexion of the skirt panel.   
     
     
         2 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary strut operates only when the external force has a component directed toward the center plane of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary strut begins to operate only after the skirt panel has flexed over a threshold value greater than  0  compared to the default position. 
     
     
         4 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary strut comprises a first end fixedly secured and a second end distant to the first end that is slidingly secured. 
     
     
         5 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first resilient strut comprises a resilient-strut body adapted to extend at a first angle oblique relative to the skirt panel, and the complementary strut comprises a complementary-strut body that extends at a second angle oblique relative to the skirt panel. 
     
     
         6 . The strut assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first angle and the second angle are of different values. 
     
     
         7 . The strut assembly of  claim 5 , wherein at least one end of the complementary strut is secured about an end of the body of the first resilient strut. 
     
     
         8 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first resilient strut comprises a second mounting portion for mounting to the floor of the vehicle, and wherein the complementary strut comprises a wedge portion wedged between the second mounting portion and the floor of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first resilient strut is adapted to resiliently buckle when undergoing the force having a component over a threshold value towards the center plane, wherein the complementary strut is adapted to resist to the force at least one of i) limiting and ii) preventing the first resilient strut to buckle when combined to the first resilient strut. 
     
     
         10 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first resilient strut comprises a body adapted to extend at a first angle oblique relative to the skirt panel, and the complementary strut comprises a body that extends parallel to the skirt panel. 
     
     
         11 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary strut comprises a body to be mounted oblique to the floor and the skirt panel, and an extension to be mounted parallel to the floor. 
     
     
         12 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first resilient strut comprises a second mounting portion for securing the skirt panel thereto distant to the first mounting portion, and wherein the complementary strut comprises a third mounting portion for securing the skirt panel thereto distant to the first mounting portion and to the second mounting portion. 
     
     
         13 . The strut assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the complementary strut has a body having a non-flat shape. 
     
     
         14 . The strut assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the non-flat shape comprises a concave face and a convex face opposed to the concave face. 
     
     
         15 . A vehicle comprising a skirt panel and at least two strut assemblies as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the strut assemblies are mounted to the floor of the vehicle distant to each other, and wherein the skirt panel is secured to the two strut assemblies. 
     
     
         16 . A vehicle comprising:
 a floor;   a center plane;   a skirt-panel assembly comprising:
 a resilient strut mounted to the floor; 
 a skirt panel secured to at least the resilient strut; and 
 a complementary strut coupled to at least two of a) the skirt panel, b) the resilient strut, and c) the floor of the vehicle, 
   wherein the resilient strut and the complementary strut are adapted, when undergoing an external force having a component toward the center plane, to allow the skirt panel of the vehicle to flex toward the center plane, and   wherein the complementary strut prevents the skirt panel to flex over a threshold value beyond which the skirt-panel assembly loses ability to self-restore to the skirt panel to a default original position.   
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , comprising a first number of the resilient struts and a second number of the complementary struts, wherein the first number and the second number are unequal. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the skirt panel is coupled to the resilient strut at a first lowest height, and wherein the skirt panel is coupled to the complementary strut at a second lowest height that is not higher that the first lowest height. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the complementary strut comprises a first end secured to the skirt panel or to the resilient strut, and a second end distant from the first end that is coupled to one of the first resilient strut and the floor of the vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the complementary strut comprises a wedge portion that is wedged between the floor and the resilient strut.